Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



` i)IxIIfran STATES PATENT ritieni lMPRovEMENTiN BaEE'CH-LOADING Fine-Anivls-a.l

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 418,423, dated Juno 27, 1865.

To all whom tv/may concern.'

. Be-it known that I, EDWARD MAYNAnD, of the city ot' Washington, in the District of (lolunI-bia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Solid-Hinged Breech-Block oi' Breech-Loading Muskets; and I do hereby' declare that the following is. full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis speciticaton,imwliich- Figure l is a side elevation ot' a portion of a breech-loading 'musket furnished with vmy improved hinged breech-block; Fig. 2, a top or operates; Fig.` 5, a transverse section in the line z z ot` Fig, 3, showing the form ofthe base of a primed metallic cartridge of peculiar construction, which maybe advantageously eniployed in connection with my present improvement in the breech-block; and Figs. 6, 7, and

'8, respectively, an elevation, central-,vertical section, and a transverse section of this cartridge; Fig. i), a longitudinal section of the breech-block. in the line w w ot Fig. 2; and

Figs. 10 and 1i, respectively, a. central vertical section and a bottom view of another form of cartridge.

Like letters denote like parts in the several figures.

Thelnusket now in use in the United States service, recognized ,and accepted asthe regulation musket, is well known to be satisfactory t0 the Government in the matter of size, shape, and weight. Considering the fact that its harmonious proportions are the result ot' many experimentsand that they cannot. be advantageously varied, I. have endeavored to give to this finished arm all the advantages which are found in the modern breech-loading weapons (without impairing its established proportions) bythe addition et' an improved solid-hinged cone-seat to such inusliets.

This improvement is describrd in the Let-ters Pat-ent of theUnited States granted to me on theA 30th day of October, A. D. v1860. QSince that vdate the advantages attending the use ot'- -priined cartridges in breech-loading tire-arms have become so decidedly'apparent as to lead me to seek so to improve the regulation musket, altered or manufactured in accordance with Vmy patent of October 30, 1860, as to adapt it to the use ot' suehgcartridges. I havethercfore substituted for the cone in the hinged breech-bloclrA ot' such a ninsket a plunger, B, playing freely in an aperture pierced obliqnely through the breech-block A in a direct line from a point in the rear of the nsuaico'ne-socket to a point a little above the notch cut in the side of .the barrel ot' the gun, to receive the retractin g thon g or arm ot the cartridge inserted in its chamber, this point, when the breechbloei; is closed,be1ng also in apposition to a.

. primed flange or odset formed upon the said cartridge, alias clearly shown in Fig. 3. .The outer end of this rod or plunger B projects from the rear end of the breech-block in the place of the usual cone,so that it. may be struck by the hammer ot' the gun, as ordinarily arranged, Without any change inl its position. It is ot' such a length as that when its outer end projects, as described, its inner or lower end will be iinsh with the front face ofthe breechblock, and will rest looselyT against the primed tlangeoroft'setofthecartridgewhenthebreechblock is closed. The plunger B is retained in this position, secured from accidental violent contact -with the cartridge, and is prevented' from turning by means of a spring, s, project-v ing up through a hole extending from the un-` der side of the breech-bl'ockto the aperture in which the plunger works, Figs. 3 and-4.' The lower end of the spring is secured in a recess formed n pon the under side ofthe breech-block, as 'seen in Fig. t), and its upper or vibrating end is received into a hole formed in the under side ofthe plunger B.

A simple set-screwinserted through the side of the breech-block and received into a notch or recess in the plunger, or any other equivalent device, may be substituted for the spring y,but l deem the employment ot' the spring as described peculiarly desirable, for the hole in I which it operates 'maybe advantageous! y employed as a channel through which to convey l oil to the plunger for the purpose of facili-tau ing its operation. Y

".Ilheendoftheplungeris'beveledoforslightly rounded, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so that if, lfrom the possible defective action of the spring 3,01' from any othercause, itshould accidentally project 'beyond the faceof the breechbloclgit will be forced back to its .proper position by con tact with the barrel ofthe gun. The noseof the ordinary hammer used upon the regulation musket of most nations, needs butto be cut oli', as sliow'n inthe drawings, and the hammer perhaps slightly bent, in order lo adapt it to' use in connection with the improved plunger, and the lower portion ot'v that end'of the recess or loading aperture inthe gunfwhich'isnext to the chamber needs. toibe slightly enllargedor cut down to admitotthe introduction -of -a tlanged cartridge. These arelthe only alteratiousrequired in the m usketproper,1in addition to thosejset forth -in -my patent. October 39, 1860, 'to attain. tliedesited improvement i Any cartridge having an encircling primingflange at its base, or which is primed ata single .Y point-(so arranged and devised as to fall in line.:y with the kend ot the plunger when the cartridge inserted in the gun and the breechblool is f initsclosed position)maybeused in tlieiiulsket improved as described ;-l .ibut the cartridges `clearlyrepresented viti-Figs. 6, 7,'and Sand 10 and' 1I .ot'ltlie drawings obviate the necessity ot'anenlargement off-the loadigaperture, and setkey otherwise present peciliiar'advan-tagies ibr-usein-n nection Withmy present improvement,fI have made them the subject of a sepa- .'rute application for Letters Patent.

`Bycutting down the nose of the hammer, as Vreprcsen'teiiin the drawings, it .is.adapted-.to strike a direct blow upon theplunger. I thereby notonly avoid the expenseof a new hammer in altering the regulation muskets of most na.

tions to the use of primed cartridges, but also' per-feet the action of the old hammer, for as it is made lighter there is less weight and conseq-nent inertia to be overcome by the spring whenit is released by the trigger, so that the movement of the hammer is quicker, while the blow is lighter, and therefore better suited to the primed cartridge.

`'lhe operation of the'g'un, improved as herei'nbei'ore described, is simple. When loaded in the usual manner and ready for tiring, the

plunger oi' the gun, under the control of the v 4-with the ptnnger -B in the hinged ,breech'lblock pf a lbreech-loading'musket or other 'rearnn "i-'henzthe saidspriu g is contained in a hole cx- #izending from the undersideof the breech-block to the -.aperture.n which the plunger works, substantially in the manner and for thev p'ur-, pose herein set forth. Y

` I The foregoing specification of myiimprovcments in breech-loading firearms signed this day of September, 1864.

EDWARD MAYNARD.

1u presence ot' 'y f GEo..W. MAYNARD, J. H. H. DOTY. 

